What are you listening 2 now?

[The new erato]

What a beautiful (and well recorded) disc:

[Harry]

Catharinus Elling.

Chamber Music..

String Quartet in D major & A minor.
Piano Quartet in G minor.

The Engegard Quartet.
Nils Anders Mortensen Piano.


It was a surprise to find such an unknow composer writing in the Romantic style and is very original too. His melodies are endearing and full of harmony, in a balance that is amazing to say the least. Every single movement is an marvel in itself, and harbours a whole cosmos with filigree colours, You never know what to expect next, but its always a welcome visitor.
Its a shame that there is not much recorded of this highly versatile composer, but that does not come as a surprise, as many a treasure is hidden away in the dark vaults of forgetfulness.
Elling gets a dedicated and committed performance of all three works in very good sound. Really well worth your attention.

[vandermolen]

Vaughan Williams: Sancta Civitas (Ian Partridge, John Shirley-Quirk, LSO, David Willcocks).
It's a long time since I played this magnificent work - arguably one of the composer's greatest works. This is still my favourite recording and is the one that I first came across on LP when I was a university student. I was lucky that my early enthusiasm for VW developed at a time of revival in the composer's music, either side of the 1972 centenary, when many more recordings (such as this one), became available. I remember ordering the LP at the same time as Herbert Howells's 'Hymnus Paradisi' (also conducted by David Willcocks) and these were two huge discoveries for me. I seem to remember ordering them from Boots - the Chemist in Lancaster - seems a weird idea now but, in those far-off days they had a large hardback book full of lists of available recordings, which would arrive a couple of years (oops - I meant weeks!) later. I remember talking to an older fellow student about my enthusiasm for VW and he said that, if I liked VW, I had to listen to the Howells work - I'd never heard of the composer before. Odd how these things stick in my mind:

[vers la flamme]

Manuel Cardoso: Lamentatio, Magnificat secundi toni. Bo Holten, Ars Nova Copenhagen

Amazing music.

[vandermolen]

That's a good one. Boiko's voice is quite original, if firmly of its time and place.

+1

[vandermolen]

Alexander Von Zemlinsky, a  composer, of greatness, I just love his Orchestral work ,his The Mermaids his  greatness or Lyric Suite?

What the best orchestral work or Orchestral song he has to offer in all his output, charming, powerful, enchanting, fantasy theoretician.

The Mermaid and the Lyric Symphony are my favourites.

TD
Khachaturian: Symphony No.1
USSR SO, Composer
Odd that Chandos, for example, should choose to record symphonies 2 and 3 but not this one:

[Harry]

"First Ladies"

Three Romantic Violin sonatas.

Elfrida Andree.
Violin sonata in B flat major.

Mel Bonis.
Violin sonata in F sharp minor.

Ethel Smyth.
Violin sonata in A minor.

Annette Barbara Vogel, Violin.
Durval Cesetti, Piano.

We give the Ladies a chance, right, for according to these works they deserve that. Three female composers creating a fine web of music, which in no way is subservient to the male counterparts. Elfrieda Andree is a first for me, and according to this sonata it begs  for more, for she is very accomplished, and writes in a pleasing satisfying way. The second movement is a quite but effective statement of her talent. Mel Bonis does not need introduction, until now, I never heard a disappointing note from her. The Lento,  third movement, (Theme populaire grec recueilli par Bourgault-Ducoudray) is of extraordinary quality. I knew Ethel Smyth, but never heard a single note of her work, it makes quite an impression too, with a very beautiful first movement,  colourful indeed.
I did not encounter the musicians before, but on the basis of this recording I say they do well. Toccata's engineers managed to create a very impressive aural acoustic. Direct but pleasing to the ear.

[ritter]

What a beautiful (and well recorded) disc:

I listened to that CD a couple of months ago, but I find it really difficult to connect with Caplet's music...

[ritter]

First-Listen Tuesday

Kodály
String Quartet No. 2
Kodály Quartet

Any comments, John? The SQs will probably be the next stop in my exploration of Kodály's music...

Good day to you.

[Papy Oli]

Good afternoon all,

Courtesy of the German Baroque Music thread, a first listen to Bruhns.

[Pohjolas Daughter]

Bridge, Frank (1879-1941) - String Quartets, Oration, Phantasm, & Piano Music w/ the performers on the cover art below; new arrivals today from 'across the pond' - a lot of recent discussion in the Frank Bridge Thread recently, stimulating me to nearly double my collection of this composer!  Dave

     

Looking forward to hearing how you like them.  The only one that I have of your lot is his String Quartets Nos. 1 and 3 which I do like.    Let us know when you cross the bridge to listen to them.  I'll run away now! 

PD

Any comments, John? The SQs will probably be the next stop in my exploration of Kodály's music...

Good day to you.

I listened (via youtube) to his first one recently and alas, I was not particularly taken with it, so I too would like to read your reactions to it/them.

PD

[Carlo Gesualdo]

Manuel Cardoso: Lamentatio, Magnificat secundi toni. Bo Holten, Ars Nova Copenhagen

Amazing music.

Excellent release  vers la flamme, I have it, my mandatory recommandation would be buy Manuel Cardoso on Tallis Scholars, ockay I know some people complain all the time about Tallis Scholars , toss too mutch tenors in the mix not enought place for soprano and  bassus but this album my friend his a superbe requiem, also try to find  Portugal masterpieves on Helios it's worth the admittion, I adore Manuel Cardoso and Duarte Lobo,(try naxos requiem of both) , salutation  vers la flamme, have a nice day take good care buddy.

[Pohjolas Daughter]

Excellent! I haven't thought about Cécile Chaminade's Flute Concertino in some time, a warhorse for that instrument to be sure. It sure looks like Bezaly might bop me on the head if I go for her flute though...

I don't think I know this recording either. Thanks! VS

Considering as Ms. Bezaly plays on a 24-carat gold flute that she had specially made for her, she just might! 

And yes, I don't often listen to all-flute albums (Don't ask me why), but yes, I am enjoying it!  Embarrassed to say, I hadn't heard of her before now...hadn't realized how esteemed that she was in the music world...including something like, I want to say, over 20 compositions written for her.  Must check out more of her CDs. 

PD

[The new erato]

I listened to that CD a couple of months ago, but I find it really difficult to connect with Caplet's music...

I noticed your post :-)

Not in any way complicated music, but I found it beautiful with some interesting wind textures. And a recorded sound to die for!  I enjoyed it a lot, even to the extent of playing it twice.

One of the wonders of this thread is that it continually inspires me, for different reasons, to relisten to stuff on my shelves.

[Carlo Gesualdo]

Listening to Zemlinsky again this morning and think , this composer better than his pupil Schoenberg.

I can certified you this, perhaps Schoenberg more notorious for his oddity The Pierrot Lunaire, still love so much his Orchestral song, but , Zemlinsky is Zemlinsky a superior composer, whom agree whit me on this fact, Zemlinsky  is so moving, captivating filled whit fantasy theme, one of best composer of Germany from his era , one of the best , whit Gliere too.

[foxandpeng]

David Diamond
Symphonies 2 & 4
Seattle SO
Gerard Schwarz
Naxos

I had forgotten how much I like Diamond's symphonies.

[vandermolen]

David Diamond
Symphonies 2 & 4
Seattle SO
Gerard Schwarz
Naxos

I had forgotten how much I like Diamond's symphonies.

Yes, they are great - especially the first four symphonies. Recently I've been listening to No.1 quite a bit although No.3 remains my absolute favourite and I consider it to be one of the Great American Third Symphonies, alongside those by Harris, Schuman, Copland, Ives and Hanson.

[Madiel]

Beethoven's teenage trio for flute, bassoon and piano

[SonicMan46]

It's amazing how organised you are in keeping track of all the different pieces.
I liked these, excellent performances & recording. Enjoy! 

Well, I keep a composer's list w/ works owned on a database (Apple's Numbers), easy once setup, BUT does not list all of the details.  For the prolific composers, esp. from the Baroque (e.g. Telemann, Vivaldi, Graupner, and others), I need a more detailed list so I don't buy the same pieces - using Google Docs for this purpose - attached is my Telemann listing using the linked catalog from the previous post - again once established, easy to add or delete.  Dave

[Madiel]

Excel spreadsheet works for me... though my library is a lot smaller than some around here, I'm sure.